When you work in soft line retail, shrink used to not be a huge concern in children’s clothing. Focus was on products like jewelry or leather coats, jeans and athletic shoes. Children’s clothes were never on any big watch list. Recently this is starting to change.

I don’t know if it is because more people are out of work, or because kids clothes are getting more expensive, but I am seeing a rise in the shrink dollars. If you haven’t already, I would suggest starting to use clothing security tags on children’s clothes.

For the baby and toddler clothes, it would be easy to use checkpoint tags for clothing security. Since these items typically are not tried on in the store (like adult’s clothing) a hard tag would not impede the shopping experience.

For bigger kid’s clothes, clothing security would be easy with a soft tag. The non-adhesive tags could be slid into a pocket. Soft tags can also be attached as a price tag or barcode.

Just about every kid I know likes stickers, so I would steer away from any sort of sticky soft tag that could be discovered by a child trying on an outfit. It is discouraging enough to suffer losses in the hands of a shoplifter. It would be even worse to have your security measures defeated by a 5 year old.

There are multiple Checkpoint tags to choose from to facilitate proper tagging based on the type of clothing.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

I never fail to see something new in my internal cases. Sometimes it makes me laugh. Sometimes I think about how much more productive they could have been if they had only used their evil genius for good instead of bad. Sometimes I just look at the employee and sigh. That’s how this last case was. One big “did you really just do that and think you wouldn’t get caught” sigh.

Clothing security is a huge focus in our stores. Many an inventory loss has been avoided because of our diligence. We do a great job using Checkpoint tags to coincide with our clothing alarm. With security tags on clothes, the losses we do incur are easier to track. Take this employee for example.

I was reviewing our report for clothing alarms that happened before and after hours. One incident had shown up. When I reviewed on our CCTV system, it showed an employee leaving with one of our brand new jackets and a pair of pants on. I reviewed her during the day and saw that she had come in to work with a different outfit on, and no bag. When I reviewed for a purchase, there wasn’t one.

This employee had stolen a brand new outfit for her date that night. She said she was going to return it, which is why she didn’t bother to take the clothing security tags off.

If it hadn’t been for the clothing security tags, the clothing alarm wouldn’t have gone off. It was an easy case; you just followed the obvious trail she left behind.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

Even though it’s still cold outside, many clothing retailers are marking down the cold weather product and making way for the new spring collections.  For most it is also the beginning of the new fiscal year so the time to add clothing security, such as clothing security tags and a clothing alarm, is now.  Here are the reasons why.

First, putting security tags on clothes is not really an option if you want to keep profits high.  Shoplifting is at an all-time high and not store is immune.  To add to the already theft laden market, warm weather clothes are the easiest to steal.  It is pretty conspicuous when someone puts on a second jacket and tries to walk out.  It is also obvious when large sweaters are stuffed under someone’s shirt.  What is not obvious is when that women puts on a high dollar bikini and walks out.  The customer who pockets the new sunglasses or steals a pair of shorts is not obvious.  The smaller / skimpier products are just plain easier to steal and must be protected.

Since we have to put security tags on clothes I suggest using Checkpoint tags.  Checkpoint tags are cost effective.  Checkpoint tags are also reliable and known to shoplifters so they are a great theft deterrent.  You will also need a clothing alarm from Checkpoint as well so that when the customer tries to walk out with concealed product you will be alerted and can respond to the potential theft.

The second reason to get your clothing security now is that it is the beginning of the year.  The price of this investment isn’t going to change so by making this acquisition at the beginning of the year you get to reap the benefits of your investment for the full year instead of only part of the year.  It just makes sense to get your full money’s worth by buying sooner rather than later.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

I love hearing about people’s New Years resolutions. Some of them are so far fetched you know they won’t make it through the first week. Some of them are pretty typical, you know the ones, eat right, drink less, workout more. That’s the one that perks my ears when I hear employees talking about it. Workout more.

Now I think it’s amazing to want to take charge of your life and your health. I also know that about this time of year, we get in fresh new shipments of athletic attire and inevitably we have at least one employee stealing their way into their New Year’s Resolution.

It’s because of this trend that I emphatically start putting security tags on clothes starting with the athletic wear. I know that clothing security tags is strong visual message not to steal that particular item. I like that the clothing security tags do most of the work for us. The majority of the employees stay honest because they don’t want to contend with beating a clothing alarm.

Clothing security doesn’t just stop there for us. We also talk about the high shrink departments every chance we get. Just as shoplifters avoid being noticed, employees are less likely to steal if they know the area is under constant surveillance.

After the initial resolution has either wilted or become a habit, I can put to rest my worries of protecting our athletic wear. I know its now time to move on to protecting the next target.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on clothing security, clothing alarm, Checkpoint tags, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

In the old days of loss prevention before there was any type of clothing security attempts to limit loss fell to working the floor as undercover store detectives and remedial mirrors hung awkwardly from ceilings. The saying goes you can’t be in two places at the same time, a saying that was and is obviously studied by shoplifters. As time moved on however loss prevention professionals wanted a “better mouse trap” and longed for a technology that would help lower their shrink percentages. Some retailers limited the amount of expensive product on the sales floor, requiring constant recovery by employees, additional payroll and rigid auditing to ensure all product was represented on the sales floor. Let’s be honest, no matter how good your store staff can be, no one is perfect and this strategy is recipe for doomed sales. Good sales obviously affect the shrink percentage in a positive way, so if your shrink is rising and your sales have been limited then you are “burning the candle at both ends”. A company called Checkpoint made substantial clothing security innovations. They heard the call of the industry for a clothing alarm system, They devised a system that covered the whole store by placing security tags on clothes and placing sensor pedestals at the entrance/egress of the store. At this point you had the store covered and anyone attempting to leave the store with product that had clothing security tags would trigger the clothing alarm at the front of the store.

This was an excellent beginning to the world of clothing security, however, there were pitfalls if too much confidence was placed in the clothing alarm. When a checkpoint system was purchased you didn’t just buy checkpoint tags or checkpoint pedestals you purchased an interactive system that required very specific set up instructions. Installation of the system was merely the first step. The entire store staff including management needed to take part in a product orientation that instructed them on what clothing security tags were, how to place security tags on clothes and how to remove the checkpoint tags safely. Employees also had to learn how to audit the clothing security tags, were the checkpoint tags placed on the correct product, were the checkpoint tags placed correctly on the product so as not to damage the clothing? If the security tags on clothes were not placed consistently or in the right places the system would fail to deter or detect theft.

The last bit of training for all the employees is how to correctly react to a clothing alarm from the front checkpoint pedestals. If alarms are ignored then the system is a waste of money. Employees have to react to an alarm in a non-threatening way that promotes customer service but also lets a potential thief know that if they did not pay for product and attempted to leave with concealed product they would be caught in the act. Most alarms at the beginning will merely be employees forgetting to deactivate or remove security tags on clothes. This will serve as good practice for all employees to get comfortable with a confident customer service friendly response to a clothing alarm. The checkpoint system is an excellent tool that is literally a blanket of protection for your store if the employees all work together to implement and maintain the system to its fullest degree.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

 

Now that the holidays are over, most soft line retailers have entered into the Return season. We see everything from Halloween costumes, to holiday linens, and party dresses. While some items do have legitimate reasons for being returned, there is a growing number of customers who are guilty of “wardrobing”.

Wardrobing is when a customer buys an item for a specific use, such as a new designer dress for the office holiday party. They wear the item one time, keeping the tags handy. After the event, they put the tags back on and return the item with a receipt for full purchase price. While it is not technically stealing, no retailer is in the business of renting clothing.

Because the customer, and I use that term loosely, pays for the item, any clothing security tags are removed at the register. It will not set the clothing alarm off at the door. Checkpoint tags are not a deterrent to this shopper.

What Checkpoint does have is a new type of pin to deter this sort of event from happening. It is the Shark tag by Alpha Security. It attaches in a visible spot to the front of a garment. Once removed, the tag is unable to be reapplied, and cannot be accidentally removed. This signals usage of the garment at the returns desk.

It’s a new type of clothing security tag. It helps secure your sales stay as sales and not unnecessary returns.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, clothing security, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

I have watched the retail industry change over the last decade. There is a growing focus on curbing retail losses from shrink. It’s no longer about good sales curing all. It’s about understanding the bottom line profits can be made or broken based on how bad the shrink is during any given inventory cycle.

Putting security tags on clothes was the first step in shrink reduction. Having an audible clothing alarm from the use of clothing security tags was innovative ten years ago. Now, it is an industry standard to have some form of clothing security in place.

Checkpoint tags have become the leader in clothing security. Their clothing security tags have gone beyond just a simple hard tag. They have products like the Alpha Security cable lock. It’s a wire device that has an attached tag. Easy to use on things like handbags or leather coats this tag doesn’t just stop at the door. These tags will create an alarm that emanates from the tag, not the pedestals at the door. Who wants to run down the street with a siren hidden under their coat?

Another handy innovation in Checkpoint tags is their Alpha Security Keeper Box. This box allows retailers to keep small, easily concealed items like fragrance or jewelry in plain sight, and arms reach, of the customer. Without the proper removal tools, it is nearly impossible to truly access the product without first paying for it.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

Have you ever heard a clothing alarm go off in a store? Did you wonder if the security tags on the clothes are doing more good than harm? Clothing Security is often a popular debate amongst Loss Prevention Personnel and Store Management. Here is one look at how to answer those questions.

Checkpoint tags are designed to enhance clothing security. They are meant as a deterrent to shoplifters. Most of the theft retailers see comes from small timers. They are the ones who see an opportunity and take it. Having clothing security tags eliminates some of that opportunity.

When properly controlled by store associates, clothing security tags pose no additional inconvenience to the customer. An associate easily and quickly removes them at the POS. False alarms are not from faulty tags, but rather from poor customer service by an associate.

The clothing alarm that does go off is also a good chance for the store to show their commitment to eliminating shrink from theft. If an alarm goes off from a clothing security tag, quick response from the associates set the stage. Any potential shoplifters will be watching to see what happens. If the associates respond, it is another strong warning that this store will not be victimized by theft.

Over the years of apprehending shoplifters, I hear two common themes regarding clothing security. The first is “they don’t respond to the alarms”. The second is “ this (item of merchandise) didn’t have a tag, so I took it”.

I hope this answers the questions with a resounding YES that clothing security tags are doing more good than harm.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

 

There are many different types of clothing security tags on the market today.  One new option in clothing security is called a Shark Tag and is produced by Alpha Security.  Many stores now face a problem commonly known as “wardrobing”.  This is the practice of purchasing clothes for a single event with the intention of returning the item after it has served its purpose.  This is hard to combat as it requires arguing with the customer over whether the product has been worn or not (even though usually it reeks of perfume and body odor).  The items generally cannot be resold because they smell or have been damaged and this leaves the store with a loss.  Enter the Shark Tag.  These clothing security tags clamp onto the product (without leaving holes) and has to be removed by the customer before they can wear it.  If the customer tries to return the product without the Shark Tag then you can easily refuse the refund without much fuss.  With prom season in the foreseeable future this ought to get the attention of many retailers.

Another option for putting security tags on clothes is to go with classic Checkpoint tags.  These clothing security devices work with a clothing alarm to alert you to possible theft.  In many cases it is wise to use your Checkpoint tags with your Shark Tags so you battle both fronts.  The clothing alarm will alert you to possible theft, while the Shark Tags protect you from refund fraud. Both of these methods of applying security tags to clothes are great options to help you improve your bottom line by reducing shrink.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on clothing alarm, Checkpoint tags, clothing security, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547